The Life and Times
by Alxq
Summary: Will become a series of drabbles, all of varying degrees of ratings and topics. Probably won't be related to one another. If there's a pairing involved, expect it to be Gelphie.
1. Horrors

Elphaba dragged herself throughout the entire day-which was a surprise. Elphaba never _dragged_. She strode or stomped or stormed, but never _dragged_. While doing all her obligations, lovingly told off as 'chores' as they are wont to tell her off as, Elphaba never lifted a foot more than an inch off the ground. She stayed stubbornly grounded to the floor. Strict Frexspar, dear Nessarose, and little Shell all noticed this very different Elphaba trudging inside the household instead of swift, solid Elphaba. Nanny simply tsked, tutted, and turned away at this seemingly moodier Elphaba and focused on getting a few more hours of shut-eye, before she has to serve the hodgepodge of Thropps.

Having never encountered this particular species of Elphaba before, the family was cautious and extremely wary. Fear did breed contempt and rash decisions and the Thropp family knew that those two are not a very good mix in the presence of Elphaba, regardless of whether or not she is truly _Elphaba_ as of today-so the three watched and observed from afar.

This Elphaba still responded to simple requests and conversation pieces but usually brought grunts and loud dissatisfied sniffs for replies. In addition to being firmly rooted to the ground, Elphaba's hunched form became even more crooked, if it were possible (and it was, since the evidence is currently sulking under the Thropp residence), and arms in a default position of being defiantly crossed across the chest when not in use. When left alone to simmer and brood, and when Elphaba thinks that no one was watching, she would simply sit in front of an open window and watch the clouds meander through the sky. She became deathly still, barely blinking, and her eyes would _cloud_ over like the expansive blue above her. Her arms would slowly fall and land softly on her lap, fingers twiddling. What was even more worrying (damning, as well, as this action was only done in dire times) was witnessing her mouth, slightly ajar, whispering words under her breath. The Thropps tried to strain their ears to hear her silent speech but it seemed that the intended audience included only Elphaba herself. Resigning Elphaba to her own devices was the only action left for the other residents, and so the three dispersed to do what needs to be done.

In reality, Elphaba knew that she was being watched. She knew that she never brought her foot higher than the width of a penny. She knew that her wit was as dull as her eyes on the sky. She knew that, well, she wasn't being particularly _Elphaba_ today. Today should have been like any other day in Elphaba's life-it was a routine, a schedule in other words, and never was a day wasted on an activity that wasn't preplanned weeks ago. This wasn't how Elphaba planned this summer day to go as. She should be strutting around the house, making sure everything was in proper order. All the chores would be done and taken care of, and anything else that could be finished tomorrow was done today. Frexspar would be studiously working on his preachings, Nessie right at his side. Shell would be bothering Nanny or prancing about in the gardens. Elphaba would have a nose buried in a book, researching the importance of biological evolutions to better fit a species to their environment or brushing up on the next academic year's topics. Yet... strangely and oddly, here was Elphaba, perched on a chair she dragged from a table across the room, staring blankly up to space and repeating a mantra under her breath-and she wasn't worried in the slightest! If she was witnessing this scene days before, she would've kicked herself squarely behind and roared for her to channel her energy on something else. But Elphaba was planted firmly on the chair, and no phantom Elphaba from the past came to shake her out of her reverie.

Elphaba, while deceptively calm, was brewing. She was laying maps-mental maps, mind you-and reviewing the information hypothetically laid in front of her. Shiz University was in one corner, with the Charmed Circle waving lazily up to her, Galinda blowing a kiss and giving a smile. Somewhere off to its right was Dr. Dillamond and other Animals, all causing quite an imaginary protest with their cries for justice. Colwen Grounds and Rush Margins, her partial childhood house and current haunting place for the summer near Illswater, in another, her father was spitting fiery spiels of the Unnamed God. The Emerald City took another, the Wizard of Oz and Madame Morrible smiling mischeviously. The last corner, a fog was settled. She has been thinking about this particular fog throughout the day. Ever since she woke up, her mind was muddied and muddled with this thought of something uncertain. When she focused on it, bits and pieces of chopped conversations, flashes of scenes that she has never seen before, a promise, a desperate request, surface momentarily before losing itself among the thick vagueness and ambiguity of it all. It crashed and collided, the surf thundering and smashing into the cliffside of her mind. She was baffled by the meaning of it all. She hated it.

You don't put Elphaba Thropp in the dark, she beats the dark with a solid verbal lashing and makes it beg for her to light a match so it can no longer exist. But, this was something different. This was the _future_ , not the immediate future, not a few weeks into the current date future, but _the future_. Elphaba can plan ahead and foresee months unraveling from now but this wasn't something she can mold to her liking. This future was already set in stone. She knew that it will happen because she has had visions of it, fleeting glances in dreamlike trances, her own voice speaking from the void. A cold blooded murder, a tiny lumpy bed, an icon of St. Glinda, a flying house, a castle on the mountains, a child with a bucket of water and an annoying dog (only a dog, hopefully), and... a white light. A very white light with static noises reaching deafening levels.

Elphaba Thropp was scared of this future. The moment she came back to her body was the moment she realized that she would have to die. Not in peace, not in battle, not willingly-Elphaba Thropp would die alone. Not with Dr. Dillamond, not with fair Galinda, not even with Nessa. Elphaba Thropp will pass the world of living, well and truly by herself.

"Horrors."


	2. Hold Out

Glinda was feeling quite down. Ama Clutch was in poor condition and was slowly deteriorating in the hospital wing of Shiz University. Semester exams were far enough to not give much thought but near enough to have a small niggling feeling of anxiety. The past week has been wrought with rain showers in the morning and terrible thunderstorms by midnight. And Elphie! Dear, sweet Elphie. She had been leaving Glinda alone far too many times ever since she told Glinda that she was doing 'independent research.' From what she gathered, Elphaba had been doing this 'research' ever since last summer. Why can't she spend time with her Glinda, who obviously needs her more than any research she will ever involve herself in?

Now that Glinda assessed her situation, 'quite down' wasn't really doing much justice to how she's feeling. Sure, ever since she has announced Elphaba as her dear friend, the torrent of attention mellowed and it took her awhile to adjust to less public coddling (even though it still hurt. Elphie, though, was there to hold her hand and kiss her every time she felt that everyone hated her now. She would feel better afterwards and Elphaba would smile). The smaller quota though was usually trumphed by a particular lanky green thing's banter, and Glinda couldn't wish for more. Humbled by her transformation, she found that the rarer jewels involved places she never dared to step on when she was on her pedestal. Right now, her own diamond in the rough (or dare she say, her _emerald_ in the rough? Glinda giggled at the thought) was rolling away from her slowly and she couldn't do anything about it. She was saddened by this thought but new and improved Glinda knew how important this was to Elphaba. She knew it from the way she would come back home to their dorm-sluggish pace with a purpose, tired eyes with a roaring fire of clarity. She knew it from the way her back slumped, but slumped with the knowledge that something productive was _done_. She knew it from the way Elphaba would hold Glinda tighter when she finally slides into their shared bed (whoever's bed was in use that night. Usually, it's Glinda's, for Elphaba's was much like a brick) and softly, secretly kiss Glinda's shoulder when she thinks Glinda has fallen asleep. Every night Elphaba comes home, Glinda can't help but forgive her for her tiny transgressions.

Today was a bit different. Elphaba left early and hadn't returned. Glinda knew that she had lunch at this time and that Glinda had a few minutes left before she had to go to her next class. They would usually spend this time together, a small consolation for Glinda's lonesome for the rest of the day. It had been five minutes and Glinda was running out of time. Irritated, irked and inconsolable Glinda left and went to class with a heavy heart. She mindlessly went through the entire day, the entire Shiz University becoming a static haze in the background. By the time she got back to the shared dorm, the sun had already set and Elphaba was yet to be found. She started on her homework for the next few days but when she came back to her senses, she saw that her sentences had been written on top of each other, some of it even escaping the lines and riding across the surface of the wooden desk. Crumpling up the piece of paper, Glinda found herself feeling heavy. She folded her arms and laid her head on it. For hours (for she felt like it has been hours, and it was. The room was engulfed in darkness with a small blip of light coming from the measly lamp on the side) Glinda just laid there-in limbo, in terrible, silent limbo. There were tears, sometimes, and a sniffle here or there but it was mostly silence. She had no thoughts running through her head either.

When the Shiz Clock Tower struck 10 PM, Glinda stood up and decided to just retire for the day. She brushed her teeth and splashed water on her face. Unfortunately, it didn't help with getting back a bit of her signature perk. It just made her look all the more ragged. She slipped into her bed and curled herself tightly into herself, rivaling Elphaba's own jackknifed position, and scooted until she felt her back bump into the wall. Around midnight (Glinda knew because the tower rang twice after), the door opened softly and in came elusive Elphaba. She scuffed her boots off, slid her bag onto the floor and shimmied out of her dress and into a nightshirt. She paused a bit, wondering which bed Glinda was currently sleeping. She couldn't see anything-all she saw was a bundle of blankets on Glinda's bed that seems to be pushed to wall and her bed was questionably, but unsurprisingly, empty. Elphaba was a bit worried that Glinda had late engagements and forgot tell Elphaba where she might be. She certainly hoped that nothing has happened to Glinda, Lurline knew that Elphaba would go into a rage and frenzy just to find her. She was beginning to look more of a fool the longer she stayed in the middle of the room-Glinda might be in trouble! But as she cursed under her breath, the mound on Glinda's bed shifted and revealed a slim lock of blonde hair that shone in the stray light coming from the window.

"Elphie?"

Another shift and Glinda's beautiful tired face emerged from the mess. Elphaba felt relief wash over her and she came over to kiss Glinda's forehead.

"Sorry for waking you up, my sweet."

Glinda hummed and Elphaba laid down on the bed. Glinda was thoroughly and frustratingly covered so Elphaba just proceeded to hug Glinda, blonde and blankets.

"Did you fare well today? I wasn't able to meet you during lunch because of-"

"Elphaba, it's okay. Please don't explain yourself. You're here now." Elphaba furrowed her brow. Glinda would usually scold her if she wasn't able to spend time with her, and rarely used her full name these days.

"My sweet, did I... do something wrong?" Glinda buried her head deeper in the mess as her response. Elphaba was now more worried than before and sat up.

"Glinda..."

"Please Elphaba... Just lay down with me." Her voice cracked and Elphaba picked up on it.

"Glinda," Elphaba pulled up swaddled little Glinda and gently pushed away the blankets covering her face. What she saw broke her heart. Glinda looked tired, was tired, and there were evidently dried streaks of tears on her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and her nose wasn't faring any better. In place of her sleepy smile, a small frown was settled neatly. "You look like you got dragged through Hell and back."

It was the wrong response, however, and Glinda broke in a fresh round of tears. Elphaba pulled away quickly, a defense mechanism towards water, and it only made Glinda cry harder.

"Glinda, dear, tell me what's wrong! Don't pain yourself over this!" Elphaba was frantic and torn over hugging Glinda close or running to the other side of the room. Glinda mattered more and Elphaba clenched her teeth as she felt the tears soak exposed skin.

"S-stop... Don't h-hurt yourself..." Glinda struggled weakly in Elphaba's embrace and Elphaba relented only a little bit.

"Love, what's the matter?" Elphaba succeeded in untangling Glinda from the blankets and made soothing circles on her back.

"You." Elphaba had to strain her ears. When she registered what Glinda said, she was only mildly surprised.

"What did I do? What did I do to upset you so?" Elphaba was doing her best to wipe away any remaining tears on Glinda's face, hissing when she felt her fingers sting.

"Nothing." Elphaba was perplexed. "You did nothing." Glinda had her eyes down, not daring to look at Elphaba's own. She felt too small and too vulnerable to fully gauge how Elphaba was taking it.

"I don't believe I get what you're trying to say."

"I meant exactly what I said." And Elphaba's mind clicked.

"Glinda, I'll make it up to you tomorrow. I'll dedicate the day just for you, no research, no excu-"

"No." It was Glinda's turn to furrow her brows. She dared to look at Elphaba and tilted her head to match Elphaba's confused gaze. "Don't."

"But you only wanted to spend time with me-"

"And I do, but I know how important your independent studies are. I will never take that away from you lest I wanted you to die from implosion, which I would never want," Glinda was gaining strength in her voice and Elphaba ducked her head, feeling quite shy and silly, as she continued, "that's why I want you to just stay with me whenever the chance appears. Time is limited and I will take as much as I can with you."

Elphaba blanched at her simple confession. Glinda's eyes glistened with unshed tears but it never fell. Elphaba kissed her, a chaste kiss, and laid with her for the night.

Weeks later, Elphaba found herself in the same situation, in the bustling metropolis of Emerald City, throwing a bag of oranges with stale bread and cheese onto Glinda's lap. Those tears from nights ago finally burst forth but Elphaba didn't hesitate in wiping it away this time.

"Elphie, get in this cab, don't be a fool," Glinda cried while the driver told Elphaba to leave, and none to friendly, if she wasn't going to board the carriage.

"You'll be alright, now you're a seasoned traveler. This is just the return leg of a voyage you already know." As a final parting gift, Elphaba kissed Glinda, once, twice, but it didn't do anything to soothe both of the girls.

"Hold out, if you can. Hold out, my sweet."

Elphaba dashed away, melting with the crowd, leaving poor Glinda to cry her heart out all the way back to their once shared home.


End file.
